With a new commitment to defense, Philadelphia is back in the playoff conversation

Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty ImagesDoug Collins has worked his defensive magic in Philadelphia, transforming the Sixers at that end.

Each Monday throughout the NBA season, ESPN Insider will investigate the latest trends in the league. Basketball Prospectus' Kevin Pelton is keeping an eye on all the numbers and will have a first look at how players, teams and the league as a whole are evolving.

Saturday's win over the Orlando Magic was the Sixers' eighth in their past 11 games, a run that has lifted Philadelphia's percentage points ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers have used a recipe that is familiar for coach Doug Collins: improvement at the defensive end of the floor.

To read how the Sixers have been revitalized on defense, plus why 3-point attempts might be tapering off around the league and what Glen Davis has started doing better than nearly everyone else in the league, you must be an ESPN Insider.